Smashburger: a very pleasant surprise

I’ll have to admit, I’m not a big burger kinda gal. I never crave them, but my son does and when Austin and I dine out together, he likes to order burgers whenever he sees them on the menu

When I first heard about Smashburger, I was rather skeptical since there have been a bunch of burger places popping up recently and I’ve not enjoyed most of them. It took me a little while to visit, but after seeing friends post on Facebook of their visits, it was time for me to go try them out myself.

The first thing I noticed was the decor. Colors were warm and the restaurant itself, very inviting for a fast casual establishment. I was told each restaurant possesses something local, and unique to the area the restaurant is in, and this was reflective of the menu items on the board.

The OC ($5.99/$6.99) burger was the perfect example of something local. Baby portabella, aged Swiss cheese, baby arugula, grilled onions and truffle mayo on an egg bun made for a to-die-for mouthful. This is the perfect combo for me — flavorful, rich, juicy — seriously good! I was impressed.

The LA ($5.99/$6.99) had a bit of Asian flair to it. Topped with a runny fried egg, cilantro, cucumber, lettuce, tomato, Japanese steak house ginger dressing and a crispy wonton wrapper seasoned with togarashi on a black and white sesame seed bun was good, but not my thing. The runny egg was awesome though. I didn’t care for the wonton wrapper.

What I really loved was the fact that I could choose a chicken burger instead of a beef one. The Crispy Buffalo Chicken ($6.99) was my absolute favorite. I mean who doesn’t love fried chicken right? Well, if you’re looking for a healthier kick you can opt for the grilled chicken, but for me, it was fried chicken all the way!

A crispy fried chicken breast with Frank’s Redhot Buffalo sauce, crumbled blue cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayo is sandwiched between an egg bun. It was just fantastic. I’m salivating just writing this up! Juicy, moist chicken with a light crispy coating, it was absolutely delicious!

I also tried a little of the Fresh Mex Black Bean ($5.99) — a black been pattie made in-house is topped with fresh avocado, cilantro, pepper jack, lettuce, tomato, onion, sour cream, chipotle mayo on a telera roll. A wedge of lime is served alongside ad I highly recommend squeezing it over the pattie. I’m no vegetarian but this was rather tasty!

We also tried some of the sides. Smashfries ($1.99) with rosemary and garlic is a must for French fry lovers and remained crisp until the very end.

Sweet Potato Fries ($2.29) were my personal choice between the two fries. Beautifully browned and were textured well throughout — not soggy at all.

For those looking for a veggie kick, Veggie Frites ($2.99) were quite delicious. We had green beans and carrots — and I’m not even a fan of carrots.

My favorite were the Fried Pickles ($2.29), a really mouth-puckering salty-tart interior surrounded by a crispy exterior. I wish there was more room in my stomach for this but unfortunately, it’s something you have to share with friends.

This week, I have a $25 giftcard courtesy of Smashburger for one of my readers to win. Leave me a message and tell me why you would love to try this delicious establishment. Make sure you leave your FULL name! Entries close on Sunday, 3rd. Winner announced Monday 4th. Good luck!

I am literally starting to drool while reading this! Like your son, I crave a burger now and then. But I feel like most places let me down. The black bean burger sounds great for the times I like to keep it veg. And while I can usually skip chicken with no problem, that picture of yours is to die! I want to take a big ol’ bite out of it so bad!! ~Adrea Reed

I love hamburgers but I only go for the classic burger. I do not like adulterated burgers. So sucker me would go to try new burger places. So I just had to check out Smashburger. I was very disappointed. They put too much sauce on the burger that it dripped allover my fingers and hand when I ate it. Also their egg bun was too soft and it flatten when I was holding the burger to eat. The bun was not the right texture for a hamburger. I have not gone back since, and do not care to.

I’ve heard of this place before and saw one in San Diego but never got to try it. It looks like a great place. While I love a good old fashion hamburger, the fried chicken burger looks amazing. And I’m a sucker for fries too. The regular ones look ok but I think the sweet potato ones look tasty. I also reallly want to try the veggie fries. The green beans look just like the green beans I get at my favorite Chinese restaurant, a bit blistered yet still crunchy and yummy.

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About Me

This blog is a journal of mostly my eating adventures, but also, other things I'm passionate about, including travel, the arts, and also, necessities to complete my life. Centered predominantly in and around Orange County, CA, some will extend to Los Angeles, San Diego and beyond. I am constantly searching for delicious food to eat and fun things to do, nothing is out of bounds. Sometimes it doesn't end well, but I can definitely say, it will always be an interesting journey.